Powys Digital History Project

Crime and punishment
Swearing a profane oath 

  A conviction for profanity
One of the more unusual, but by no means rare, offences of the time is recorded in the Quarter Sessions extract shown here. This relates to the conviction of one Thomas Powell, found guilty of swearing a profane oath in 1778. 

Breconshire
Quarter Sessions
Epiphany 1778

Powys
County Archives
B/Q/SR

 Quarter Sessions document
  The above document, from the Breconshire Session Rolls, reads as follows:
"Be it remembered that on the twentieth day of October in the Eighteenth year of his Majesty's Reign [King George III], Thomas Powell of the Parish of Devynnock in the said county farmer, was convicted before me one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said county, of Swearing one Profane oath. Given under my hand and seal, the day and year aforesaid.
B Williams"